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Hand mixer recommendations please.

3 years ago

I’ve had a cuisinart for many years that was just ok, but it just stopped working yesterday while making a cake. I was surprised to read reviews that some mixers are actually too strong and it’s difficult to use low speed without batter going everywhere. Good news is the cake turned out yummy.

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Comments (13)

IdaClaire
3 years ago
I have the KitchenAid 5-speed "Ultra Power" mixer, and like it just fine. Have never noticed any problem with batter splattering at any speed.

https://www.kitchenaid.com/countertop-appliances/hand-mixers/hand-mixer-products/p.5-speed-ultra-power-hand-mixer.khm512aq.html#pdp-accordion-reviews
cran thanked IdaClaire
Bunny
3 years ago
I have the same mixer as Ida. It's nice and works when I need more than a wooden spoon and less than a stand mixer. I've never had batter go anywhere outside the bowl at any speed.
cran thanked Bunny
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A hand mixer is more for making batters, whipping eggs or cream, etc. It's kind of an old fashioned appliance. Most people prefer a stand mixer, unless they're short on space or money. A stand mixer is better for doughs and can knead. It has a lot more power. An "immersion" or "stick" blender is basically a blender which uses your own vessel instead of a blender jar. It isn't as powerful as a blender with a base motor, but it's very convenient to be able to put the blender into the pot of soup rather than transferring jarful after jarful to the blender and then into another pot. You have to be careful to keep the blender blades below the surface of the soup (which is lower with the convection of the blades going round) or you'll decorate your whole kitchen with soup. Equally, you can use it for blendering smoothies or mixed drinks in your glass or pitcher. Many immersion blenders also come with separate attachments such as Raro described. I think the whisk on mine is pretty useless because it takes less muscle power for me to hand whisk than to hold the blender and let it go round and round. Additionally, it's the circular or orbital motion when whisking that gets the air in, not rotation, which means doing it by hand is better anyway. The one task I think the whisk might be superior for is frothing, which is a circular motion. I think that's mostly because a cup is too narrow for a circular motion, and also, I think circular might build up more air in the top rather than all the way through (though that's a guess). I love the mini-food processor that came with my immersion blender. I didn't use it for years, but when I tried it I found that it worked really well for herbs because the power comes from above rather than below. I haven't used my regular blender with the motor base and jar since I got the immersion blender. It's even still in the box since I remodelled my kitchen (about a year). I can blend anything with the immersion blender, it's a lot easier to clean up, and to store. But it's nothing like a mixer. I can't imagine how one would use them interchangeably. Imagine doing tasks by hand. Blender tasks are done with a knife (chopping) and a sieve of some kind (pureeing). Mixer tasks are done with a wooden spoon (mixing, beating), whisk or fork (whipping), or bare hands (kneading). The appliance that will do some of both is the food processor. It'll do chopping and pureeing and most also have a dough blade that'll do mixing and a certain amount of beating.
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KitchenAid has a discussions forum on facebook. From what I've read, if you are going to make bread in a KA mixer, you really need to get a heavy duty Pro model. They are now making the motor without plastic parts on the more expensive models. I do agree that the cooking forum is much more active to get lots of answers about this.
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I can't testify to the other models of Kitchenaid, but I have the Artisan - one of the smaller models that was on all the store shelves a few years ago for around $200 if I remember correctly, and I love it. Anyway, you have to (or should) use the ingredient ramp (I didn't know that's what it was called!) to add flour and stuff while it's turning, but I rarely bother with that, as it's awkward. I usually just stop the mixer, lift it up, add whatever I need to, then lower it and start it again. Or, sometimes, when I'm feeling impatient, I just do my best to add whatever, usually flour, and make a mess doing it. It has enough power for most of what I do, other than the large batches of whole wheat bread I sometimes make. It has a problem with heavy bread doughs, so I either start them in the mixer and switch to hand kneading, or I just hand knead them from the get-go. If I had it to do over again, and we had the money, I would have hinted very strongly to DH to give me the more powerful one for Christmas, instead of the one he did give me. Nevertheless, I love using it! It fits under my counter, even when tilted up. I haven't measured, but the distance from my counter to my cabinet is around 18" to 20". I shove it into a lower cabinet when I'm not using it, and keep it out when I'm using it a low. Yes, it is heavy, but I don't have enough counter space to keep it out all the time. Hope this helps. Sally
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Please post / link to your favorite non-motorized hand mixer
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Comments (22)
dcward89 - I was expecting a fork :) crl_, blfenton, nightowl - Yes, that's what I'm looking for. Lily Spider - I usually do the same (whisk eggs with a fork). mayflowers - thank you for naming the spring whisk. I have one, and occasionally use it, but did not know what it was called. sjhockeyfan - I think it's a lot about the space/volume with which I have to work. For a smaller bowl of something fairly liquid which I'd like to blend quickly, my first inclination would be the egg beaters. (Perhaps the large KA is in use and I don't feel like assembling - and cleaning! - the hand mixer or immersion blender). Also, I grew up baking with my mom and using the egg beater at times, and it feels right. nightowl - the reviews on the oxo beater are quite good (and I do like oxo products), but I sort of wish it were all metal, and one piece. I checked Williams Sonoma, and they link to the same beater you show. The SS rotary egg beaters have mixed reviews. I'd love to find a good German or Swiss one - but searches are not turning any up. I appreciate the input from all, thank you!
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beaglesdoitbetter
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
I have a Kitchenaid stand mixer and would under no circumstances consider switching to a hand mixer. Hand mixers make baking so much more of a hassle. I had to use one recently when baking with a family member who didn't have a stand mixer and we were beating a thicker batter and it seemed like the motor was going to burn out.
cran thanked beaglesdoitbetter
llitm
3 years ago
I am also happy with my Kitchenaid hand mixer and glad to be rid of my heavy stand mixer. Different strokes.....
cran thanked llitm
IdaClaire
3 years ago
I have both the hand and the stand, and use both depending on mood and which one I feel like dragging out and then cleaning. Obviously, the baking itself doesn't always enter into the decision. 😁
cran thanked IdaClaire
Lars
3 years ago
I have a Kitchenaid stand mixer and a Kitchenaid hand mixer. I prefer using the hand mixer when making whipped cream or beating egg whites, as the beater on the stand mixer does not touch the bottom of the bowl. Also, when making whipped cream, I store the bowl and beaters in the freezer for an hour before making the whipped cream, and the stand mixer bowl does not fit in my freezer.
cran thanked Lars
Bunny
3 years ago
I wouldn't be without both my KA hand and stand mixers. Which one I use depends on the job. Like Lars, I prefer the hand mixer when beating egg whites.
cran thanked Bunny
Bestyears
3 years ago
Same, I have both the small, handheld KA mixer and the stand mixer. I use the stand mixer for nearly everything. As Lars mentions, the beater doesn't quite touch the bottom of the bowl for whipped cream and egg whites, so I actually push up slightly on the bottom to make that happen. We use the hand mixer at our lakehouse. In a fit of purging one day, years ago, before we had the lakehouse, I sold my handheld at a yard sale. When we needed one for the lakehouse, I never considered anything else.
cran thanked Bestyears
Oakley
3 years ago
Count me in as another KA owner. Yellow 7 speed, and I've had it for years.
cran thanked Oakley
morz8 - Washington Coast
3 years ago
And I'm another. I have the 6qt KA stand, and still take out the little KA hand mixer for things. I misplaced the beaters for it a while back and ordered new. Found the originals so now I have two sets. I can't think how many years old that hand mixer must be, but an oldie.
cran thanked morz8 - Washington Coast
Joaniepoanie
3 years ago
I would get a stand mixer if I did A LOT of baking but I don’t so a hand mixer is all I’ve ever used. I had to replace mine last year and got the KitchenAid. I am happy with it—-it seems to have a stronger motor than my previous one (Hamilton Beach?) which sounded like an outboard motor on high speed. The KA gets the job done with less effort it seems.
cran thanked Joaniepoanie
bbstx
3 years ago
I have a KA stand mixer, but I used to only have a hand mixer. When I had batter that I knew was going to fly everywhere, I’d put the bowl down in a paper bag while I was beating whatever. So that I could see what I was doing, I would set the bag and bowl on my kitchen stool. I no longer have a hand mixer, but from time to time, I think I ought to get one.
cran
Original Author
3 years ago
I just ordered the 5 speed Kitchen Aid mixer. Ordered it with a coupon from BB&Beyond and free shipping ..YEAH.

I just need the hand mixer for quick jobs, like Lars I use it for whipping cream and egg whites...also put the bowl and beaters in the freezer ahead of time.. I have a stairway off my kitchen and a landing 1/2 way down where I keep the stand mixer, the food processor and extra paper towels etc. I don't always feel like dragging it up to the kitchen for a quick job. I'll just keep this one in a drawer under my island for quick jobs. The only color available was ice, but I was fine with that. Thanks All.

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